Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2021

Crisp green apple, lemon, elderflower — this could pass for a dry white wine on the nose, super expressive. Lively on the palate, fresh and upfront with such ease of drinking. It’s a gentle style in which the weight, texture, acidity and sweetness are all soft and calm, not too excessive or overt. It’s very charming in a subtle, quiet way, with hints of orange, almond and hazelnut, plus an underlying salinity that adds a nuance some others don’t have.

The transparency of this is incredible. It’s like drinking glacier water but with so much white pepper, clove, dried mushroom and spice character. Intense and pure and so perfect. Showing incredible botrytis character. It’s full-bodied, lightly oily, sweet but doesn’t seem overly sweet. Balanced and bright. It’s perfection. Historic vintage. Magic. 180 g/L residual sugar. Drink it now and marvel, but it will age for decades, possibly forever. Only 6,000 bottles made.

93% Sémillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc. Cask sample. Deep copper colour. Dense and vibrant with an impression of a dry finish after some botrytised fruit. Neat and composed – and a wine that already seems broachable! Hint of chestnuts and very long. Big and bold and a bit loose. (JR)

Rich, intense, concentrated, sweet, racy, and lively, this has everything you want in a delicious sweet treat! Packed with honey-coated yellow and orange tropical fruits, lemon curd, vanilla, mango, and candied nuts from start to finish, the wine is zesty, fresh, sweet, and energetic. But it is going to be almost impossible to find, because production was decimated, with only 500 cases produced! Drink from 2025–2050.

Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. An inviting bouquet of fine blossom honey, delicate wood nuances, vanilla and yellow tropical fruit. Juicy, complex, ripe yellow peach, some pineapple with hints of honey. Shows great length and balance with an elegant mineral finish.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (93% Sémillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, 5 hl/ha, production 6,500 bottles) Creamy, dense, complex, fresh, fruity bouquet: quince jelly, delicate grapefruit, chalk, white flowers. Dense, multi-layered, creamy palate with fine concentration, pronounced yet refined sweetness, tightly knit, elegant, subtly opulent structure, varied and powerful aromatics, very long, full, fresh finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Has room to improve further.

(93% Sémillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, 5 hl/ha, production of 6,500 bottles) Creamy, dense, complex, fresh, fruity bouquet with quince jelly, subtle grapefruit, chalk, and white flowers. Dense, multi-layered, creamy palate with fine concentration, powerful yet delicate sweetness, tightly woven, elegant, subtly opulent structure, varied, intense aromatics, and a very long, full, fresh finish with plenty of lingering flavors. Has room to improve further. 19/20 2030 - 2060

Pale gold in colour, with amber reflections, opening on exotic fruits—apricot, pineapple and mango—fresh acidities that give the wine a clean, juicy edge, and a finish of knife‑edge clarity, yet plenty of power.

Notes of exotic wood, fresh and dried fruits, with some rustic aromas that evoke bay laurel. The sweetness asserts itself on the palate—cocooning, bewitching—and leaves little room for the freshness that is nonetheless present.

Deep and subtle, the bouquet of Lafaurie-Peyraguey stands out for its many nuances. It combines notes of nougat, caramel, licorice and lily of the valley, among others 🙂 On aeration, the bouquet reveals more classic nuances with aromas of toasted almonds and mandarin zest, complemented by earthy notes. Dense and creamy, the wine marries sweetness and salinity. It has a youthful acidic structure that ensures freshness and great aging potential, while a fine austerity enhances the expression and aromatic persistence on the finish. A great success.

Yellow colour with green highlights. Very aromatic nose, with pure, minty fruit. Soft on the attack, flavourful mid-palate, a touch spicy and less heavy than at times. The wine develops smoothly and melts on the palate. Normal length.